Ed Olczyk
American | birth_date = | birth_place = Palos Heights, IL, USA | draft = 3rd overall | draft_year = 1984 | draft_team = Chicago Blackhawks | career_start = 1984 | career_end = 2000 }}Eddie Olczyk (born August 16, 1966, Palos Heights, Illinois, U.S.) is an American former head coach of the National Hockey League Pittsburgh Penguins and former centre with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins. He currently serves as the color commentator for the Chicago Blackhawks, in addition to calling games for NBC Sports and the The NHL on Versus. He played 1,031 NHL games and scored 342 goals and 452 assists for a total of 794 points between 1984 and 2000. Playing career Amateur career Olczyk grew up in Palos Heights, Illinois where he was a star on the Illinois midget team that won the 1982 national title against a Detroit Compuware squad that featured future NHL stars Pat LaFontaine and Al Iafrate. He then moved to Canada to play for the Stratford Cullitons junior team before joining the United States Olympic hockey team. Professional career Olczyk was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, first round, third overall. Olczyk was traded a number of times during his career. In 1987, he was traded to Toronto by Chicago with Al Secord for Rick Vaive, Steve Thomas and Bob McGill. He spent his entire career with Chicago Blackhawks. Post-playing career He returned to Pittsburgh to become the color analyst for the Penguins on FSN Pittsburgh, where he was given the nickname "Edzo" by current radio announcer and then co-announcer Mike Lange. In 2003, he moved from the booth to the bench and served as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from June 11, 2003 until December 15, 2005. Despite adding marquee free-agents, the Penguins started the season with a disappointing 8–17–6 record, leading to Olczyk's dismissal on December 15. Beginning with the 2006–07 NHL season, Olczyk was the lead color commentator for NHL on NBC, and previously for the NHL on Versus; the latter later rebranded as NBCSN in 2012. Olczyk was also the lead game analyst for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Men's Ice Hockey where he partners with Mike Emrick. Perhaps his most notable moment as color commentator came at the end of the 5–3 U.S. win over Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, when he described the game as being "tremendously tremendous" after U.S. forward Ryan Kesler scored an empty-netter. The audio of Olczyk saying "This has been tremendously tremendous" was an instant hit among hockey enthusiasts and was the subject of many spoofs online. He was selected to repeat his duties alongside Mike Emrick for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. In February 2016, it was announced that Olczyk would be the recipient of the Ring Lardner Award, which was founded in 2002 by the Chicago Athletic Association and honors broadcasters and writers who “exemplify the wit and warmth of Ring Lardner’s writing.” On July 11, 2012, Olczyk became the 16th Blackhawk elected into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. The Blackhawks honored "Edzo" for his induction in a pregame ceremony on Feb. 22, 2013, at the United Center. In 2009, Olczyk received an Emmy for “Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence On Camera: Programming,” followed by a 2012 Emmy for “Outstanding Achievement for Sports Programs - Sporting Event/Game - Live/Unedited Program/Special.” He was also inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. On April 8, 2010, Olczyk returned to Pittsburgh to join more than 50 former Penguins being honored in a pre-game ceremony before the final regular season game at Mellon Arena. On December 30, 2010, it was announced that Foley and Olczyk signed a three-year extension to stay with the Blackhawks. On May 5, 2014, EA Sports announced that "Eddie O" will provide color commentary for NHL 15 alongside play-by-play commentator Mike Emrick and ice level reporter Ray Ferraro. Since 2018–19 NHL season, the duo (Mike "Doc" Emrick and Eddie Olczyk) will call the Wednesday Night Hockey early game and the Eastern Conference Final with "Inside-the-Glass" reporter Brian Boucher. Olczyk also has an interest in Thoroughbred horse racing, appearing in advertisements for Xpressbet and serving as a guest commentator and handicapper for major horse racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks on the NBC Sports cable network. Personal life Olczyk has two children playing Junior A hockey in the USHL: Eddie plays for the Waterloo Black Hawks in Waterloo, Iowa and Tom, who plays for the Sioux City Musketeers. His younger brother Rick Olczyk is a former hockey player for Brown University and is currently an assistant general manager of the Edmonton Oilers. Career statistics International Record for Team USA *1984 Winter Olympics (seventh place) *1984 Canada Cup (fourth place) *1987 Canada Cup (fifth place) *1991 Canada Cup (second place) *Ice Hockey World Championships: 1985 (fourth place), 1986 (sixth place), 1987 (seventh place), 1989 (sixth place), 1993 (sixth place) External links * }} Category:Born in 1966 Category:American ice hockey coaches Category:American ice hockey players Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks Category:Chicago Blackhawks players Category:Los Angeles Kings players Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks Category:New York Rangers players Category:Olympic ice hockey players of the United States Category:Pittsburgh Penguins coaches Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players Category:Stanley Cup champions Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players Category:Winnipeg Jets players Category:1984 Olympian Category:Retired in 2000